Extras on Lehigh Valley movie 'Billboard' learn: It can be hot and exhausting

Local filmmaker Zeke Zelker films "Billboard" at Rothrock Motor Sales in Allentown on Saturday, Aug, 27, 2016. The scene Zelker was directing included many "extras" that included local people of all ages. The "extras" held posters and cheered and boo'ed during the shooting as directed.

Local filmmaker Zeke Zelker films "Billboard" at Rothrock Motor Sales in Allentown on Saturday, Aug, 27, 2016. The scene Zelker was directing included many "extras" that included local people of all ages. The "extras" held posters and cheered and boo'ed during the shooting as directed.

I had never thought about appearing in the background of a movie. But when my son signed up to be an extra on the Lehigh Valley-shot movie "Billboard," I decided it might be a fun way to spend a Saturday in August.

I figured at the worst, it might be boring while you sit around waiting to shoot a scene.

After four hours standing — and even kneeling — on pavement in the blazing sun, I have a new respect for extras. It's harder than it looks.

We got an email to arrive by 12:30 p.m. and to wear plain, casual summer clothes with no logos. I drove to Allentown's Rothrock Motor Sales, where a billboard had been erected for the film.

There was a table where we had to sign a release and get a number. We were 95 and 96.

PHOTO GALLERY: Local filmmaker Zeke Zelker films "Billboard" at Rothrock Motor Sales in Allentown on Saturday, Aug, 27, 2016. The scene Zelker was directing included many "extras" that included local people of all ages. The "extras" held posters and cheered and boo'ed during the shooting as directed.

(APRIL BARTHOLOMEW / THE MORNING CALL )

Ryan Walsh, co-producer and unit production manager for "Billboard," said 600 people signed up online to be extras, but they didn't expect that many to show up. They were hoping for about 250. Ultimately, 212 extras signed in.

The moviemakers were shooting the opening scene of the movie. It's expected to last three to four minutes on screen.

"Billboard" focuses on the story of a struggling radio station, WTYT 960, that decides to hold a billboard-sitting contest to drive up ratings. It is inspired by a real event in 1982 and 1983 when a Lehigh Valley radio station held a promotional contest on a billboard at MacArthur Road and Route 22 in Whitehall Township.

The real competitors, trying to win a manufactured home, stayed longer than the organizers expected, with the final two living nine months in heated tents on the billboard platform. The story drew international media attention.

Our shoot was one of the final days of filming by Forks Township filmmaker Zeke Zelker.

The set was cordoned off with caution tape. The extras milled around, waiting.

Beth Ann Holderman of Emmaus says, "How many times can you be an extra in a locally made movie? I remember the original contest and how it would stop traffic on 22 and Seventh Street. Every time we went to the mall, we had to honk the horn."

The temperatures inched toward 90 degrees. The caution tape was removed, and we were instructed to line up behind a mark on the ground. In front of us was the billboard.

Also on hand were 33 members of the Allen High School marching band, who drew looks of pity from the crowd as they sweated in their full uniforms.

Zelker came out and explained that we would be the crowd in a scene in which the billboard sitters climb up ladders to the billboard to start the contest. The sitters were played by local actors Michael Fegley, Cristina Lucas Tissot, Kristyn Koczur and David Lind.

He said that Leo Fitzpatrick, portraying a DJ from the film's radio station WTYT, would introduce the billboard sitters to the crowd. Our job would be to yell, cheer, boo and help with the countdown.

"Do not look at the cameras," Zelker cautioned. "Pick some action but whatever you decide on, you have to live with."

Signs, saying things like "We love WTYT" and "Show that billboard who's boss" were passed out. We didn't get any.

First, the band played a fight song over and over again. We watched and clapped as the cameras shot the band from every conceivable angle.

Finally it was our turn.

Our job was to give a half-hearted "yeah" to the DJ, followed by a more enthusiastic "yeah" and then start counting down from 10, as the sitters prepared to ascend. When the DJ was interrupted at 7, we had to stop and then resume when he asked, "Where were we?"

As different parts of the scene were shot repeatedly, the heat started to take its toll. One person got sick and another felt faint. The staff distributed water and gave us a break to sit in the shade.

Janine Vecciarelli said her 11-year-old daughter Gabrielle had signed up to be an extra, and she kind of got dragged into it.

"I'm so grateful that they are doing something like this in the Valley," she said. "She can see how the movie magic is done."

Gabrielle had also been an extra for a hospital scene in "Getting Grace," another independent film shot locally over the summer. That movie was made by Bethlehem native and actor Dan Roebuck.

Gabrielle wasn't fazed by the heat and long waits. "It's a really fun and cool experience," she said.

But the worst was yet to come.

For safety reasons, the billboard was only 6 1/2 feet off the ground. To give the illusion that it was higher, the filmmakers asked the people in the first two rows to kneel, and they would shoot from behind them.

We then knelt on a padded mad and went through all our cheering and yelling again. My knees hurt despite the mat, so fortunately there were only two takes.

After that, most of us were pretty much done. For the final few takes, we had to disperse, each time walking in the same direction.

One interesting thing I noticed during the shooting was that the face of the billboard was painted green. Walsh said it made the billboard into a giant green screen.

"It's a neat way we can be flexible and create opportunities," he said. "If it plays in China, we can put a Chinese advertiser on the billboard."

When Zelker yelled "that's a wrap," the crowd cheered.

"You did a great job," he said.

And that was it.

We were hot and tired, and eager to get home to air conditioning.

I'm not sure I would do it again, but it was an interesting experience. And, unlike extras in many movies, when "Billboard" is released we will get to see our names in the credits at the end.